The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-03
ROMANTIC REALITY.
A Compromise Put an End to the Con-
test Over Will.

From the Baltimore Aneffcdn.
The famous Cloud will contest, involving
an estate valued at $4,000, was dismissed
on Tuesday last by the Circuit Court OF
Pettis county, Mo-, a compromise having
been effected A couple of years ago Col.
William f. Cloud was married to Mrs. Sarah
+. Buchanan, widow, well advanced in
years, and possessed OF considerable cash
and property. The marriage created much
commefis, owing to the prominence OF the
parties, and the pretty general belief enter
tanned that it was not an alliance in which
love figured to any great extent Soon after
the tying Of the matrimonial knot, Colonel
and Mrs. Cloud removed to Oregon, and
subsequently returned to Kansas, locating
at Topeka. Last fall Mrs, Cloud died sud
denly in that city, and the body was brought
to Sedalia. Mo-, for burial. Speculation
was rife as to the disposition the deceased
had made of her estate, but it was soon set
tied by the filing of will in the Probate
Court, in which the entire estate, except
few minor legacies, was bequeathed to the
husband. Before the will was admitted to
probate, however, further CONSERVATION
was created by the arrival here OF Oscar
and Charles Jeffrey, prominent citizens OF
New Jersey, who announced themselves as
half brothers of the late Mrs Cloud, and
their nilsson was to contest their sisters viii.
Col. Cloud stoutly maintained that the
Messis. Jeffrey were impostors, and that his
late wife had no relatives living. Both sides
employed able counsel, and for several
months past a dozen different States have
been traversed for the purpose of securing
testimony bearing on the case. That the
plaintiffs were successful in their mission
is shown by the dismissal of the suit to-
day
The case was remarkable one, being SEN
sational as well as romantic Old man JEFF
frey, the father Of the plaintiffs was mar
ried in New York State more than three
score years ago to a most estimable lady,
and four daughters..were born of the union,
one of whom, the eldest was the late wife
of Col Cloud The mother of the girls died
after they had attained their majority, and
the father married again. The second mar
riage was distasteful to the four daughters,
and especially so after two sons had been
born. Finally, it is said, the girls induced
their father to desert his wife. He left her
and her two boy babes III New York State,
and came West with his daughters settling
at Peru, Ind The deserted wife died,
and her boys were placed in founding asy-
lum, where they remained several years.
They grew to useful manhood without learn
ing of the family's dark history, and finally
settled in New Jersey
On his bridal tour Charles Jeffrey for the
first time learned of his fathers baseness,
and entered upon the task of locating the
family. He was successful, but discovered
that his father was dead, while his four half
sisters were married and living in as many
different States-the eldest, Mrs Cloud, be-
ing resident of Sedalia. Knowing that
his sisters We're the cause of their father
having deserted bis second wife, a reconcile
alton was not hoped for, and matter of
further search was dropped. Mr.. Jeffrey
impaired his information to his brother,
Oscar jeffrey, and they decided to keep their
own secret When Mrs Cloud died last
fall, the Messrs Jeffrey learned of the fact,
and also that he had left valuable estate.
and eventually they decided to contest the
will, with the result stated. By the terms
of the compromise, as learned from one of
the attorneys in the case, Col. Cloud re-
ceives all of the personal property of his
wife's estate, amounting TO $1,000 The
half brothers of Mrs Cloud have been placed
in possession of the remainder of the estate,
worth over S30,000